Request Fill 7: Growing Up  in TBoPE series
by Caera1996
Summary: One-shot in TBoPE series  no need to read anything else to get this . This is the result of the anonymous request: "I think it would be really interesting to see how they have "The Talk" with Jo."


Title: Growing Up  
>Author: Caera1996<br>Rating: G  
>Disclaimer: Not mine.<br>W/C: 1,424  
>Note  Summary: One-shot within TBoPE series (no need to read anything else to get this). This is the result of the anonymous request: "I think it would be really interesting to see how they have "The Talk" with Jo. Do they ask Aurelan to step in to that role? Or is Bones all like, "I'm a doctor, it's no big deal." I hope you like it!

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><p>"She's ten," Leonard said, looking up from the laptop to peer at Jim who was sitting against the footboard facing him.<p>

"She has classes with eleven and twelve year olds," Jim said. "And like you said, she's ten. I think it's time." He looked up at Leonard from his own laptop, and gently nudged his leg with his foot. "Bones, I'm serious. Trust me…you don't want her to have to have a crash course about her changing body from a teacher while she's crying in a bathroom stall."

Leonard looked up and stared at Jim for a second. "Sounds like you're speakin' from experience."

"Not direct experience," Jim said, making a face. "But teachers talk, and it happens. And…she has classes with older girls and boys…I'm not saying tell her everything," Jim said quickly, seeing the resistance on Bones' face against thinking of his little girl as anything other than a little girl. "She probably even already knows the basics. But, Bones…do you want her getting misinformation from what she overhears in the lunchroom, or do you want her to know that she can get information from us, if she wants it?"

Leonard squeezed the bridge of his nose and considered Jim's words for a minute. He had some very good points. The thought of his little girl locked in a bathroom stall, scared about something as basic as the way her body works because he didn't think to bring it up really bothered him. Even more unsettling was the idea that she was hearing things at school she didn't have any real knowledge about.

But she was only _ten_. She was still so young. And more than that, she was innocent. He wanted her to keep that innocence as long as she could. He wanted her to stay a child.

She wouldn't, though. She was going to grow up no matter what he told her. And when it came down to it, he preferred that her introduction to this be on his terms. Not left to chance, and not, god forbid, left to her classmates.

"Bones," Jim said, after a moment. "Maybe we can talk to Aurelan. I'm sure she wouldn't mind talking with Jo."

"Has she already filled Janie in?" Leonard asked curiously.

"Well, Janie has an older sister," Jim said. "I think Aurelan's dealt with things as they came up. I don't think she's actually had a sit-down talk with her…but…it's a little different in their house."

Leonard nodded, understanding exactly what Jim meant. There were a grown woman and five years difference between the ten year old and the other daughter. With them, Jo didn't have that. She didn't have a woman to talk to as questions came up. It was different for her. And frankly, Leonard hadn't given it much thought until now.

"I think you're right, Jim," Leonard said after another moment. "But I think we should do it. I want her to know that she can come to me, or to you, and if we have Aurelan talk to her I think we'd be sending the message that this isn't something she can talk to us about. And…I want her to be able to talk to us."

Jim nodded. He agreed with that, and he'd hoped Bones would feel that way.

"And I think…I think I'd like to talk to her alone. Just at first."

"Sure," Jim said easily. "I think that's a good idea."

"Yeah?" Leonard asked, peering at Jim carefully. "You don't mind that?"

Jim smiled and shook his head without hesitation. "No, Bones. I don't mind it at all. I love Joanna…like she was my own…but she's your daughter. This is a…personal thing. I want Jo to be comfortable with me, but it's more important that she's comfortable with you."

Leonard grasped Jim's foot, then moved his hand up to his ankle, squeezing gently.

"Thank you."

Jim smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. "Don't thank me yet. So…you want me to download some visuals?"

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><p>Leonard sat on the floor of Jo's bedroom, his back to the bed. Jo was sitting across from him, leaning against a pillow that she'd propped up against her dresser.<p>

"What did you want to talk about Daddy?" she asked, looking at her father seriously.

Leonard hesitated and looked away for a second. He didn't expect to feel so…unsure…about how to broach this subject with her. He didn't have a problem talking to her about it – he was a doctor for Pete's sake – but this was one of those things that parents had one shot at, and he wanted to make sure he did it right. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable or embarrassed.

"You're growing up Jo. And you're getting to the age where you're going to start changing from a little girl to a teenager like Kimmie, and then to an adult. And I…wondered if you had any questions about that?" Leonard asked, deciding that the best place to start would be where ever Jo wanted to.

Joanna bit her lip. She did have questions. Kimmie looked different in a bathing suit than she or Janie did, and she wondered when that was going to happen to her. And Stephanie's mom was having another baby. Mothers had babies. Fathers and mothers kissed and slept in the same bed and ended up with babies…and she knew it was because fathers and mothers had different parts, but…

Leonard watched Jo's face. He was counting on her natural curiosity and inherent desire to want to know how things worked, but she was still shy. And if she was going to be shy and withdrawn about something, this was a good candidate. But, now, she didn't look shy or withdrawn. She kinda looked like she just didn't know where to start.

"I…have some books, Jo…if you want to see what the inside of a female's body looks like."

"Yeah," Jo said, brightening and moving to sit next to him. Leonard pulled the first book off her bed, opened it to a pre-marked page, and he just started talking. He pointed out everything that was the same first – brain, heart, lungs, stomach, small and large intestine…Jo knew most of these already, and could tell him what each did. Then, he turned the page to a picture of a female form.

They talked, and Jo was surprisingly receptive. Leonard kept it simple and scientific, and let Joanna guide the conversation as much as possible.

He'd forgotten. He'd forgotten how intelligent she was. Living with her every day, watching her grow up and into her intelligence, it was easy to become complacent about the way her mind worked. At some point during their talk, Joanna admitted to spending some time in the Health section of the Media Center, and looking up particular words in the dictionary and encyclopedia. She'd actually worked quite a bit out herself, but her understanding was very rudimentary. It was a relief to know that his complacency had only encouraged her to find out for herself from the right places. Books and dictionaries and encyclopedias were better than other kids.

They talked for a little while longer, then Leonard set the book aside and opened his arms to her. She came to him like she always did, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I know you're going to have more questions after you think about all this, Jo. And I know you're going to start to hear about liking boys from your friends…"

"Already do," Jo said, rolling her eyes.

Leonard smiled at that. "Well, I just want you to know that you can always ask me or Jim about any questions you have. And…if you ever have something you want to ask another girl, you can ask Aurelan. She already said that would be okay with her. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Is there anything else you want to talk about today?"

"Not right now," she said. "Maybe later."

"Any time, Baby."

Leonard collected his books and stood. Joanna stood and stretched, too. "Can we go for a bike ride around the lake?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied. "I'll change and see if Jim wants to come."

Joanna nodded, and he left her to put on her shoes and socks. Joanna was different. Smarter than many ten year olds, but still very much a ten year old – she still liked to wear pigtails. Her bike still had streamers, and she still loved her Disney movies.

But, she _was_ growing up, and Leonard made a silent promise to himself to not forget it.


End file.
